Turing Webinar
On 22 March 2021, UCML organised a webinar on the new Turing Scheme implemented by the UK Government following the UK’s withdrawal from Erasmus+. The webinar featured presentations from Professor Colin Riordan, Vice-Chancellor of Cardiff University who worked closely with UUKi in the development of Turing, and representatives from the Department for Education and the British Council, responsible for delivering the scheme. You can read a summary of the responses in the Q&A section of the event here:
Erasmus+ Letter
UCML has written a letter to the Minister for Education, Gavin Williamson, in response to the decision for the UK to withdraw from Erasmus+, which will be replaced with the Turing Scheme. UCML is concerned that the Turing Scheme does not extend to staff mobility, is non-reciprocal, and funded on an annual rather than multi-annual basis. These concerns are shared by colleagues across the education sector, and our letter has been co-signed by bodies and learned societies from across the Arts, Humanities, Social Sciences, and STEM.
You can read the response UCML received here:
A similar letter written and coordinated by UCML’s Wales Representative, Liz Wren-Owens, has been submitted to the Welsh government:
Colleagues from UCML Scotland, chaired by Dr Joe Carson, have written a memorandum to the Scottish Government encouraging the implementation of a Scottish exchange programme that preserves the benefits offered by Erasmus+ that are not included in the Turing Scheme, on the model of the recently-announced Welsh International Learning Exchange Programme (in particular, the lack of reciprocity and the removal of staff exchanges):
Four MEPs have written to the European Commission asking the Commission to explore options for Welsh and Scottish membership of Erasmus+. The letter has been co-signed by 141 other MEPs
Erasmus+ in Figures
Across the UK, Erasmus+ has funded important development in the following sectors:
- Adult education: staff mobility for sharing best practices and career development;
- Higher Education: innovative collaborations; international study; traineeships; and staff development;
- Schools: pupil learning and the development of the professional and leadership skills of staff;
- Vocational Education and Training: development of life skills; youth exchanges and conferences for youth; training for youth workers.
2019
The European Commission website gives a full breakdown of the UK’s involvement in the 2019 Erasmus+ programme, highlighting both outgoing and incoming participants, and demonstrating the scheme’s reach beyond Higher Education.
Details for prior years are as follows (by UK nation, and as per the Erasmus+ website):
England 2014-18
England saw 3,466 projects take place over this period, involving 100,276 participants and amounting to funding worth €509.7M
Mobility (Key Action 1) 2,747 projects €367.6m of which:
- Higher Education: 768 projects, €228.8m
- Vocational Education and Training: 401 projects, €83.8m
- Schools: 637 projects, €13.8m
- Adult Education: 59 projects, €3.4m
- Youth: 882 projects, €37.7m
Strategic Partnerships (KA2) 663 projects €139.9m of which:
- Higher Education: 56 projects, €17.1m
- Vocational Education and Training: 136 projects, €37.9m
- Schools: 327 projects, €55.6m
- Adult Education: 88 projects, €19.9m
- Youth: 56 projects, €9.3m
Structured dialogue (KA3)
Youth: 56 projects, €2.3m
Scotland 2014-18
Scotland benefited from 844 projects involving 13,957 participants, and amounting to €90.7m of funding.
Mobility (Key Action 1) 765 projects €73.5m of which :
- Higher Education : 164 projects, €50.2m
- Vocational Education and Training: 90 projects, €15.2m
- Schools: 425 projects, 3.4m
- Adult Education: 10 projects, €1.4m
- Youth: 76 projects, €3.3m
Strategic Partnerships (KA2) 78 projects €17.2m of which:
- Higher Education : 17 projects, €5.4m
- Vocational Education and Training: 13 projects, €3.1m
- Schools: 32 projects, €5.0m
- Adult Education: 9 projects, €2.5m
- Youth: 7 projects, €1.1m
Structured dialogue (KA3)
Youth: 1 project €49.8k
Wales 2014-18
Over these 4 years, 245 Welsh projects took place, involving 7,081 participants. Wales was awarded €40.4m of funding.
Mobility (Key Action 1) 172 projects €27.6m of which:
- Higher Education: 52 projects, €15.9m
- Vocational Education and Training: 39 projects, €8.0m
- Schools: 29 projects, €2.0m
- Adult Education: 6 projects, €120.9k
- Youth: 46 projects, €1.5m
Strategic Partnerships (KA2) 67 projects €12.6m of which:
- Higher Education: 5 projects, €1.5m
- Vocational Education and Training: 1 project, €298.8k
- Schools: 55 projects, €9.5m
- Adult Education: 2 projects, €429.1k
- Youth: 4 projects, €982.8k
Structured dialogue (KA3)
Youth: 6 projects, €256,4k
Northern Ireland 2014-18
In the 2014-18 period, the total Erasmus+ funding awarded in Northern Ireland was €38.8m. 6,696 participants took part in 287 Erasmus+ projects.
Mobility (Key Action 1) 211 projects €23.4m of which:
- Higher Education: 55 projects, €12.4m
- Vocational Education and Training: 40 projects, €7.4m
- Schools: 29 projects, €583.9k
- Adult Education: 5 projects, €141.7k
- Youth: 82 projects, €2.9m
Strategic Partnerships (KA2) 69 projects €15.1m of which:
- Higher Education: 1 project, €246k
- Vocational Education and Training: 25 projects, €6.9m
- Schools: 28 projects, €4.1m
- Adult Education: 8 projects, €2.1m
- Youth: 7 projects, €1.8m
Structured dialogue (KA3)
Youth: 7 projects, €282.2k
#ErasMUST
UCML has joined a social media campaign using the hashtag #ErasMUST We encourage everyone to get involved online, posting about their Erasmus experience and what they gained from it. Any longer testimonials can be sent to contact@ucml.ac.uk and will be profiled on the UCML website.